It’s a big question to ask:  “what is joy” How do we see it in our lives?   Don’t worry I’m not a theologian so I’m not going to ACTUALLY tackle that question, but I do want to share a story…

Today, I believe I saw joy in its truest form.  Over the past couple years I’ve been photographing an annual easter egg hunt hosted by Joni & Friends and Rockhill Mennonite Church for community members with disabilities. In the middle of the action, I let the camera hang by the strap, and looked with my eyes rather than my lens.  I turned to a friend and simply said, “This room is overflowing in joy and I have the pleasure to capture it and take it in in a way few others can.”  I saw the simplicity of being pushed on a swing, sitting in a ball pit, coloring a “masterpiece”, getting a rabbit painted on your face, or going home with a giant basket full of easter eggs.  All very simple activities.  From these moments of care, attention and love the value made each participant feel like the most important one in the room.

While I captured many many smiles, laughs and moments of surprise, I found my greatest joy in a selfie.

I asked some of the girls in my small group at church if they would be willing to volunteer and these two did!  (As did Anni our German in the bunny costume). It was super to serve alongside them.  In fact, these two (and a brother) will be serving at Summer English Camp in Hungary!  It’s so beautiful to see the heart of service begin in the home community.  We really are called to go “locally, regionally, and globally” and I’m so thankful to be able to serve in all these ways with these two young ladies.

So, back to joy.  I think joy is found most when we are giving of ourselves, it’s an attitude of the heart, founded in gratitude, its not shaken due to circumstances.  Why was the room full of joy?  I have an suspicion it’s because in that room it was a “you first” attitude.

What was the last situation you were in that was saturated with joy?